The present invention relates to a new and improved method and apparatus for use in purging air from a power steering system and filling the power steering system with power steering fluid.
At the end of an assembly line on which vehicles are constructed, a power steering system on a vehicle is filled with power steering fluid. This is done by conducting a flow of power steering fluid into a reservoir in the power steering system. When the power steering system is filled with power steering fluid in this manner, air in the power steering pump and associated conduits becomes entrained in the power steering fluid.
The air entrained in the power steering fluid may cause unwanted noise and/or vibration during an initial portion of the operating life of the vehicle. This noise and vibration may be annoying to a driver of the vehicle. In addition, the noise and vibration may result in misdiagnoses of and/or the missing of problems with the power steering system.